Monday, December 12, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Baking: Gingerbread Blondies with White Chocolate

Four years ago, I would have told you I hated gingerbread. When Paul suggested that we make gingerbread men the first Christmas we spent together as a married couple, I was less than enthusiastic - I might have even flat out refused. My previous memories of gingerbread men were of the individually packaged cookies my family would receive in a Hickory Farms gift basket from one of our relatives. Those were incredibly stale and tasteless. However, the first batch of homemade gingerbread cookies that we pulled from the oven was heavenly rich, warm, and slightly spicy - simply perfect with a glass of milk (or, for lactose-challenged individuals such as myself, almond milk). Ever since, they have been my absolute favorite Christmas cookie.

When I saw a recipe for these gingerbread blondies in a Martha Stewart book last winter, I knew we would love them. I made a batch for a Christmas party Paul and I attended and the entire platter disappeared. Paul was super disappointed that we did not have any leftovers, so we ended up baking another batch the next day.

And another batch the week after that. They are that good.

Give these a try.

Obviously, I have been on a roll with the bar cookies. I love how easy they are to prepare, cut, and package. Unfortunately, having exhausted the bar cookies on my list, I'm going to have to move onto batch cookies and pastries (aka recipes that require a little bit more effort). Obviously, my baking enthusiasm has not quite returned.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 13x9 baking pan with parchment and coat with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Beat butter and brown and granulated sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and yolk, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Stir in white chocolate.

Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours, before cutting into squares. As the blondies cool, the middle will probably sink in a little more than the sides – don’t worry about it!